Appalachian Trail, For you that do not KNOW (much of this is repetition)

The Appalachian Trail is a 2,167 mile foot path from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mt. Katahdin in Maine.  It goes thru 14 states and is world famous. The BIGGIE of the AT is what is called a ‘Thru Hike’, when a hiker starts and finishes the trail in one shot, usually 6 months. That challenge is accepted by folks from all over the world.

A Clift in the Smokey's.

Sherry and I have met some very nice folks from at least 6 countries while hiking.

But back to the story. Before their deaths we traveled in our RV with Dick and Kat (My sister & Hubby) They invited us to Standing Indian Camp Ground near Franklin, NC. It is a national Forest Camping spot with no hook ups.

While there Sherry and I hiked to the top of Standing Indian Mountain. I was taking in the sights and she was talking to some sweaty guys with back packs.

A very rocky spot in Pennsylvania

On the way down I was saying “Let’s sale  everything we have, buy a boat and sail around the world. As we walked down the mountain she says to me, “No, we are not doing that!”

“What? you never said  no to me before, what is the problem?”

“First you have never sailed in your life.”

“No problem there. we can get someone to tow us out 50 miles and I can learn.”

We met an engineer once who was amazed at our 6 ounce chairs. sherry on a rock in Virginia.

“I have a better idea. I was talking to those guys on top of the mountain, do you believe they are walking to Maine? We can do that,”

“Honey, I love you, but you have never backpacked in your life, like I have never sailed,” when I said that I thought, this girl has followed you all over a lot of the world, it is time you did something SHE wants to do. So I said, “Okay we will give it a shot. If you can do a couple days on that trail as a trial, we will give it our best shot.”

(She was the map reader, this is in NC or Tennessee) (‘em’s good looking legs!)

When my girl gets an idea, she holds onto it. We made the trial run and had no problems. On our first shot we made it a 100 miles. The next year we done better. One year we hiked 600 miles.  We kept on until we cover 1850 miles of the trail. WE became what is called, ‘Section Hikers’. There have been some injuries, delays and problems but it has been an adventure.

This is my tough lady. I once caught her by the ankles as she went over the side of a mountain pack and all. We were both laughing and got her back on the trail. I watched her walk a trail with two Mountain goats behind her without panicking.  She once stared down a BIG Buck in her trail. She survived one freezing rain until we got the tent up.

Beside a water fall in Virginia

Once in the Shenandoah’s, in the dark we were getting settled to sleep when she heard someone on the trail. It was soupy foggy . She called out, “Scruffy?”

“Yes ma’m.” Came answer out of the dark.

It was a hiker we had met and he was doing a night hike. We gave him a coke and an apple and he was on his way. I am still amazed how she knew the noise was Scruffy.

Anyway this hike was all her idea, and it has been fun.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

She has given up backpacking, but her heart is still on the trail.

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My girl loved driving this one. when the gears would lock up, she would raise the hood, reach down and adjust the levers and keep going. (amazed her moma) She is cool, my girl.